You work really hard at networking, meeting new people and getting them interested in your products and services. You know that getting your name out there and getting people onto your mailing list is essential for business growth.
But what processes do you do once you have those names? What processes do you have in place to follow-up with those people interested in you and your products… and does the idea of follow-up calls leave you in a cold sweat?
It’s understandable that the idea of contacting those people may worry you. After all, they may not remember who you are or what you do and if they were really interested, then you wouldn’t have to contact them… right?
If these kind of thoughts pop into your head whenever you think of sitting down to make those follow-up calls, then they are causing you to procrastinate… holding you back from making necessary contact.
You need to get a strategy in place to overcome your fear, or risk losing potential business.
#1: Change your mindset
One of the main reasons we hate making follow up calls is that we’re looking to sell something. We look at it as a cold call, contact that isn’t wanted and is seen by the recipient as an unwarranted intrusion on their time.
Instead, look at these follow up calls as a client service call. The client has already expressed an interest in your product or service, so they obviously have a need or wish for it.
You are calling to see how you can be of service to them, support them, and offer a solution to a problem they may have… you are offering to help them.
#2: Schedule time in your calendar
You’ve decided to offer your help, now is the time to schedule a time in your diary. Schedule an hour or two in your calendar to hit the phone and make your follow up calls. If you’re following up after an event or conference you’ve attended, then schedule the time in a day or two after the event, whilst the event is still fresh in their mind.
Make it a new habit to schedule the subsequent one or two hour time slot in your calendar prior to attending each event. That way, whilst you are at the event, you can let people you meet know that you will be following up on a certain day.
By making that commitment to them, you are ensuring that they’re happy for you to contact them, and that you’ve committed to actually making the calls.
#3: Take action
You’ve decided to offer help and have scheduled your time slot in your calendar, now is the time to take action and make that call. By focusing on being there to support or help them, you are coming from a place of caring. This takes away the stress of trying to close a sale.
Start a conversation, reminding them of how or where you met, reiterate what problem they were having and ask how they are getting on. Remember, the more calls you make, the more comfortable you will be with making them.
Do you currently have a follow-up strategy in place? If you haven’t, make the decision to start one and allocate some time in your diary today.
If you have one already in place, why not share your strategy successes and tips in a comment below?
